This invention relates to a nutcracker having means for automatically adjusting the cracking mechanism to the size of the nut being cracked. The adjustment occurs as the nut is being cracked and eliminates the necessity of making an adjustment after each cracking operation and before the next. A considerable amount of time is saved, since on many prior art devices, one is not sure that adjustment is required for a particular nut until after the cracker has failed to crack it. Hence, in many prior art devices two cracking motions are required--one to check the adjustment of the cracker and one to actually crack the nut. In some prior art devices even three or more attempts may be necessary since the adjustment process is strictly by trial and error.